


The Exponential Dog

by chocoban



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Storyshift AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-11
Updated: 2016-02-11
Packaged: 2018-05-19 16:58:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 756
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5974804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chocoban/pseuds/chocoban
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A couple of kids meet a dog(s?). Based on the Storyshift AU.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Exponential Dog

**Author's Note:**

  * For [VoltraTheLively](https://archiveofourown.org/users/VoltraTheLively/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Undertale Storyshift](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/175276) by VoltraTheLively. 



> This story is based on the Storyshift AU, which you can read at the tumblr I linked above or at r/Storyshift. Thank you, Voltra, for putting so much work into a nuanced, thoughtful AU that is seriously tugging on my heartstrings right now. I love it.
> 
> I think Chara would be a dog person.

Chara lay on the couch, idly flipping through their book. Asriel had gone out by himself today and hadn't told them when he'd be back, so they had nothing to do but wait.

Then Asriel slammed open the door.

Chara sat up, alert. Asriel stepped inside and closed the door gently, a blank expression on his face. He walked, one slow step at a time, over to the couch, then flopped face first into the cushions next to Chara.

"Something up, Rei?" Chara asked, frowning.

Asriel rolled over and stared at the ceiling. For a moment, he said nothing, than heaved a great sigh. "Dad... Dad sent the dogs back."

Chara looked away from Asriel. "They finally turned to dust, haven't they?" they said, sadly. They remembered playing with the dogs all the time when they were younger, and getting scolded by Mom for disrupting the Royal Guard from their training. They had loved those dogs so much, and it had hurt to watch them grow older and frailer until they finally fell down.

Asriel had a pained expression on his face. He stood up. "You... you need to see this for yourself," he said, taking Chara by the hand.

They went outside. A small crowd had formed, blocking a strange white mass from their vision. Asriel and Chara squeezed through the crowd until they reached the front, and Chara gasped.

It was a dog. Or multiple dogs. Or just a bunch of cats that looked like a dog? Chara couldn't tell where it began or ended. The current Royal Guard approached the dog, driven by the familiar scent, but they were still apprehensive. It was nothing like any dog they had ever seen.

Then the Dogi shouted together, startling the crowd. "It's!! (Our family!!)"

At those words, all the dogs went into a frenzy, yipping and howling, wagging their tails excitedly. Greater Dog let out a great bark that shook the whole town, knocking a few unfortunate monsters off their feet.

Chara grinned. "I can't believe Dad did it! He brought them back!" They turned to Asriel. "Does that mean he brought everyone else back, too?"

Asriel grimaced. "Chara, look at them. They're..."

"They're alive," Chara stated with conviction. "They're alive and well."

Asriel shuffled uncomfortably. The thing might have been alive, but it definitely didn't look well. He wanted to be glad for them, but in the state those poor dogs were in, he could barely stand looking at them.

"C'mere, boy!" Chara yelled, and Asriel startled. The crowd around them parted as the amalgamate bounded towards them.

Asriel ducked out of the way as it leapt into Chara's open arms. It hit them with a great big splat, and for a brief moment, Asriel couldn't see where Chara had gone.

"Chara? Chara!"

Chara suddenly emerged from Endogeny, laughing and giggling. They wrapped their arms around it as best they could, burying their face in the fluffy goop. "I missed you guys," they said, slowly sinking back into the mass.

Frantic, Asriel ran over and pulled Chara out. "Chara, what do you think you're doing?"

"I wanted to pet the dog."

"You were going to drown in it!"

Chara just smiled. "I wouldn't want to go out any other way."

Asriel pouted and stomped his feet. "Look at you! You're all covered in..." he looked at the white glop covering Chara, "...dog residue? This is really gross..."

Asriel grabbed Chara by the hand and started pulling. "We're going home right now! You really, really need a shower."

"But the dog."

"Leave it alone!" Asriel yelled, distressed. "Let it catch up with its family! You can play with it later!"

Chara pouted, but then they looked at the dogs by Endogeny's side. They were all smiling. They were so happy to see their family reunited, and Chara didn't want to take that away from anybody, not even for a moment. So Chara sighed and nodded, and the two children began walking home, hand in hand.

About halfway there, Chara let go of Asriel's hand. "Hey Rei."

Asriel turned to Chara. "Yeah?"

Chara dropped a handful of goop on Asriel's snout. "Gotcha."

The warm slime rolled down his face as Chara ran away laughing. Asriel, still in shock, tried to wipe it off his face, only to further mat it into his fur.

"Chara! You jerk! I'm going to tell the Captain about this! Just you wait!" Asriel cried as he chased Chara all the way back home. But in the end, he was laughing, too.


End file.
